THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 34

THE KENNEL.

Fanciers and breeders of dogs are cordially jn- j ritad to oontribnte to this column. " Terror " will endearour to make this department as interasting , and up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this , ha must bare the co-operation of bis readers, ; hence be trusts this invitation will be chaerlaUy ! responded to. | — A .ecrrespondent, "J. S. W.," of Kurow, asks whether the greyhound is the fastest dog known; also, whether the bull terrier is a cross between a bull bitch and _ fox terrier dog? With respect to th© first question, I nave never heard it disputed that the greyhound- is the fastest of all dogs. One has merely to look at its build in comparison with that of any other breod of dogs to unhesitatingly pick itfoi speed, and the knowledge that of all canines it is the one specially bred and trained 'or speed, and ,speed only, appears to give conviction on the point. Many years ago,,we read, *t was kept to course the red «-.nd fal- j low deer of Old England, and Queen Eliza.- j beth is said to have witnessed the pulling down by them of 16 bucks on one occasion. In the Encyclopedia Britannica it 6&js. ' "In speed and wind it (the greyhound) is unrivalled, all other points having K-en sacrificed to these by breeders." On hilly ground, it is alleged, it is faster \h_n a racehorse. In reply to th< second question, I fnd authorities -agree that the bull terrier is a cross betw-cer the bulldog and smooth lerrier. There^'S no authority, so 'ar Jis I can find, who is justified in •saying exjJtly how the cross wao first effected —i.c . whether the sire was the bulldog cr the terrier The smooth terrier chosen is supposed to have bsen a white English erri3i\ Rawdon B. Lee says : —'' There is little or no doubt that the original bull terrier was a cross between an ordinary kind of terrier and ? bulldog, and some of the argent specimens had a touch of the mastiff thrown in" Wni. Youatt says: —"This doj, is a cross between the bulldog and the terrier, and is generally superior, both 'n appearance and value, to either of its progenitors. A second cross considerably lessens the underhanging of the lower jaw, and a th'rd entirely removes it, retaining the spirit of determination of the animal." — Dr Cook attributes his success in iv acting the -North Pole to the use of" Eski-nos " and dogs. I presume Dr Cook will agreethat the dog is "man's best ,fr:end." — Glenelg; Tiki, sire of the pups advertised above, won trophies for Poms, at Napier and, Wellington, and was unbeaten in the show ring this season. ! * —Trilby (not shown in N.Z.) is reckoned by expert judges to be a champion.